Contributed by Antoni Swidlicki
In recent years, more and more people are telecommuting, or working from home. Sometimes this has been a forced decision following a redundancy as a result of the global financial meltdown, other times it’s a deliberate decision.
Working from home cuts down on time spent commuting, it allows for more personal time, and it limits the amount of money that a company needs to spend on office administration.
The Rise Of The Garden Office
While many telecommuters work from a study in their house, or in a converted bedroom, there is a growing trend among many telecommuters who have converted their garden shed into an office and work from there. Take a look at the popular Shedworking website to gauge just how popular the garden office has become in recent years.
Working out of a shed can have many advantages:
- It is easier to concentrate on your work when you are not surrounded by distractions such as the TV, your kitchen and your home phone.
- Having a space devoted to working reduces the possibility that you might procrastinate and can increase efficiency.
- You might not have the appropriate space in your house to work from. Why compromise on the quality and ergonomics of your office when you can create one perfectly suited to your needs in your garden?
- Escape your family and/or housemates by working from your shed.
- When the weather is nice, nothing beats working in a wooden shed with the door wide open.
Is It Practical?
Some people struggle with the concept of a garden office because they cannot imagine having everything they need in their garden and are worried about leaving valuable equipment in their shed in case it gets broken into. Connectivity and shed security have both come a long way, however, making a garden office every bit as practical as a study in the house.
- Power Cables can be easily directed to your shed through an underground trench running between the junction box in your house to your garden office.
- Ethernet Cables can also be run along the trench, giving you a level of internet connectivity as high as you would get in your house.
- Telephone Line Extension Cables can also be run through the trench so that you don’t have to be on your mobile all day.
- Extend anything you need through the trench to your shed. If you need a television, you can extend the connection in exactly the same way. Don’t forget to insulate your shed to make it more of a cosy environment to spend your days in. Double glazing, insulation and portable heaters combined will greatly improve your garden office conditions and comfort.
Safety
Shed burglary is an increasing problem. Since sheds are detached from the main body of the house, they are more appealing targets to burglars. If you use your shed as a garden office, it will likely have a computer in it, if not also a 3D printer, scanner and any other specialist equipment you may use, not to mention all of your work. It is advisable that you protect your shed as far as possible to minimize the risk of a burglary. This article details some simple steps to protect your shed.
Whether you’re new to telecommuting or a seasoned home worker, moving your home office to the garden could do wonders for your productivity and the amount that you enjoy your work. When set up correctly, working from a shed is just as practical as working from a study and in some cases might even be more so.
This article was contributed by Antoni Swidlicki, a content creator for Garden Buildings Online.
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